1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new games of chance and intellectual skill, in particular for video gambling machines, computer games, or other electronic or mechanical devices, in which a player uses random chance contest elements, such as numbered balls, to obtain combinations of elements according to a scale of values for such combinations. In its more particular embodiments, the present teachings specifically pertain to a game of chance and skill in which a participant attempts to achieve a particular winning combination of subsets of the chance elements, relying on observations, luck, and skill in his or her selection for each individual game.
2. Background of the Prior Art
In previous games involving chance played in casinos and elsewhere, which utilize random chance devices, such as craps, roulette, and the like, a participant bets on predicting the outcome of a random event. Wagering can be extremely complicated due to the large number of possible discrete random events.
In games that utilize playing cards, such as poker, blackjack, gin rummy-type games, and the like, a player competes against other players in the game and sometimes against a dealer, who usually represents the playing establishment or “house.” Those games generally include wagering, involving either other players or the house; the competition is against one or more other players and, ultimately, against the house.
In such previous games, players who have acquired superior skill and experience have an advantage and can more readily take advantage of less experienced players. Similarly, aggressive players with little concern for loss of large amounts of money can drive timid, less fortunate players out of the game by quantitatively increasing wagers beyond the tolerance of other players.
Single player electronic video games have been developed to avoid player-to-player competition and permit players of all skill levels to enjoy the same types of games while affording an opportunity to wager.
For example, electronic video poker games have been prevalent in gaming casinos for many years. The electronic video poker gaming machine is designed to replicate the play of a hand of poker. Typically, a player is not playing against any other players or against a dealer's hand; the player is simply attempting to achieve the highest-ranking poker hand possible from the cards displayed to the player.
Video poker is generally played on an electronic video gaming machine that uses a video screen display to show cards to a player. Computer controls carried on a printed circuit board mounted on the interior of the gaming machine electronically shuffle the deck of cards, activate the dealing sequence in response to input by a player, cause the cards to be displayed on the video screen display, and analyze the hand to determine winning and losing hands. The computer controls also affect payouts to the player based on the amount of the player's wager and the poker ranking of the hand.
The higher the poker hand achieved by the player, the greater the player's winnings based on the number of coins, tokens or credits wagered by the player. Typically, a payout schedule is posted on the gaming machine to advise the player of the payoffs available for certain winning card combinations.
Players have become bored with traditional video poker. Players prefer to play those machines that have pay tables with higher payouts for the types of winning combinations that are achievable. There is a need for new video gaming machines that are capable of encouraging a high volume of play while at the same time offering what the players consider to be good pay tables.
Gaming casino operators are desirous of having different types of electronic video games to offer to players. There is a need to provide new and interesting electronic video games that attract players and that can increase the volume of wagering in each gaming machine.